Could it get any worse than kidnapping these school girls? Apparently so, as these captors are now forcing them to convert Islam and using blackmail in an attempt to get other terrorists released from custody. Should we dare to believe that they would release those girls unharmed if their demands were met? Can we trust evil? The answer to these questions are obvious.

Unfortunately, the safest way to handle this current mess is not obvious. However, thinking into the future leads me to deduce that education for the young people in these unsafe countries is a major part of the solution to derail this reign of terrorism from replicating itself. Terrorists fear an educated population because that could be the cause of their personal demise.

I can only pray for a peaceful and safe solution to this current mess to come to light. Concerning the future, our country can do it's part by investing in the Global Partnership for Education- a multilateral effort to provide a primary education for all children. When these oppressed populations have an opportunity to know better they can then do better for themselves by not tolerating the propagation of terrorism.